Walden sparkles, Fisher Cats down Fightin' Phils

READING, Pa. - Marcus Walden allowed one run in seven innings to earn his first career Double-A win as the Fisher Cats opened a seven-game road trip with a 3-1 win in Reading on Friday night.

Walden (1-3) allowed seven hits, walked one and struck four. Tommy Hottovy pitched a perfect eighth inning, and Joel Carreno struck out the side in the ninth for his first professional save.

The Fisher Cats (10-12) never trailed, opening the scoring in the fourth. Clint Robinson led off the inning by drilling a 3-2 pitch to deep right field for his second home run and a 1-0 lead.

New Hampshire added to the lead in the fifth inning. Adam Loewen rocketed a double down the right field line before Ryan Schimpf drilled his sixth homer of the season to right-center to make it 3-0.

Reading (11-9) was held off the scoreboard until the bottom of the seventh inning. Tyler Henson (3-for-4) led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on another groundout to cut the lead to 3-1.

Tom Cochran (0-2) started for Reading, allowing four hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.

The series continues in Reading Saturday night. Deck McGuire (1-2, 5.73) is the expected starter for New Hampshire against David Buchanan (1-3, 5.56) for the Fightin' Phils.